Wednesday, 24 September 2014

ABC of Zentangle..I

A little Zen, and some Tangles..

( To understand, and learn Zentangle®)

I for Interesting, Inspiring, Intuitive, Impromptu...and I.

There could be many words beginning with I, but I want to associate the above mentioned words with practicing Zentangle. In the last 3 years that I have been practicing, and teaching Zentangle, I have come across the above words being used by the students to describe their experiences with Zentangle. The last word, 'I', of course is added by me here.

For me, the word I stands for individuality to egoistic attitude. Harmless state to highly difficult one! The word 'I' is very complex. Can practicing Zentangle help simplify this 'I'? From my limited experience, my answer would be, 'May', or 'May not'. It does have a potential, but it is also just a tool. How you use a tool determines the end result.

If you use Zentangle only as an 'art', to be monetized, then perhaps you are heavily under utilizing its potential. When you cross the commercial temptations, you enter into the realm of transformation...you can then begin to 'simplify' this 'I'.

I would love to have your views too.

And in the meanwhile here is my Interesting (hope so), inspiring, intuitive and impromptu Zentangle Art using some I tangles, followed by the demo video to help freshers to learn tangling.

I hesitate......I have watched your video, and although I do realise you have to speed it up to get through it, I kind of get the feeling you are 'rushing' and therefore not making the strokes "one at a time and mindfully". For the sake of those who are just starting, why not slow down and even if you only get half done, at least it will be well executed with the right 'spiritual' attitude. I use Zentangle in a meditative way, which helps me in my 'life', such as it is, so I worry a little when I see that although your work and design is wonderful, attention to the principles, such as doing "one stroke at a time" and I add, "mindfully and slowly with care" is missing. Please don't take my comments too personally, I think it is marvellous that you do what you do and share as well with everyone and continue to promote the art of Zentangle, but let's not lose the original idea behind it, otherwise those just starting, may get the wrong slant on it all. I write with thought so that you may think too......

The table you are referring to in the early part of the video represents the previously uploaded videos on the alphabet (letter) shown with the number of tangle patterns demonstrated there in, and the cumulative tally of the tangle patterns covered so far. You may like to explore the previous videos in the series 'ABC od Zentangle', and await the next ones. You may like to subscribe my channel on Youtube to view all the videos that I have uploaded. My aim is to cover more than 100 tangle patterns by the time I reach Z in the series.